28/10/2016 Oare Marshes

Friday 28 October 2016
Oare Marshes, Kent

After being out of action for several weeks I got back on the road again  and spent a cracking day on the north Kent coast.  Friends Alan and Maureen from our East Grinstead RSPB Group invited me to join them on their planned visit to Oare Marshes.  I was only too pleased to accept.  We extended this to include a visit to Capel Fleet in the afternoon.

                                  OARE MARSHES

• Surprise of the day was the reappearance of the long-billed dowitcher after "apparently" leaving a couple of days ago.  We had terrific views of it on the East Flood as we completed our circuit just after midday.  

• The star attraction was the spoonbill and it didn't disappoint as it went foraging in the middle of the water, affording us splendid views.

• 3 bearded tits provided the glamour today as they flitted around the reeds near the hide on the Swale estuary.

• Several ruff were seen along with 4 pintail ducks, 6+ snipe, a little stint and 6+ ringed plovers.

• The scene was dominated by the usual lapwings, black-tailed godwits, teal, dunlin, redshanks and starlings which all numbered in their scores.

• Also seen were several dragonflies, a couple of clouded yellow butterflies and a huge frog on the path - presumably a marsh frog.

CAPEL FLEET

Early afternoon we relocated to Capel Fleet on the Isle of Sheppey where we spent an enjoyable 90 minutes in the glorious autumn sunshine.

• The scene here was dominated by hundreds of starlings and herring gulls but we did see good numbers of marsh harrier, kestrels and buzzard.

• As we left the viewing area we saw a lone corn bunting and several red-legged partridges from the car.

Around 50 species seen today with one or two very special ones.